New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-20
GOETHE AND IRVING
THE POETS MEPHISTOPHELES.

L. d. Harper & Brothers.
COoUELIN on IRVING. Harper's Weekly.
The ouestion has been raised whether Mr.. Henry
Irving. in his attempt to embody Goethes concep-
t,on of Mephstophees, has succeeded in present
,np the poets meaning OF the critics wno take
the negative side of the discu NJ. Constant
Coouelin has spoken with the least uncertain voice,
and his own high reputation rs an actor necessarily
gives a weight to his views which perhaps. when
the ouestion is examined from the literary side, they
NAV seem scarcely 10 deserve. The interest of the
American public in the subject has doubtless been
reused by the recent publcationin Hdpes Weekly OF
NJ Coqueln's reply TO Mr. Irving. IN which he states
his position clearly and the seasonabe publca-
ton of DR.. Anster's metrical version of Faust en-
abes all who find an attraction in the controversy
to form an Independent judgment on some at least
OF the main points of issue. Not that Dr. AnsteTs
paraphrase is to be compared for a moment with
Bayard lavors translation. The latter Is decid-
eddy the best translation of Faust that has vet
been made and il is unlikely that better VIII APP
Dear. since the union Of special aptltudes for the
work which raylor posse'sei Is rarely found lie
WAS a sound German scholar, master OF nervous
English. and p1et.
He alone has faithfully followed aud reproduced
the varied measures of Goethe He alone has sue
cccded in preserving the spirit of the original as
well AS he form lie held indaeh that in transla-
ton it was necessary to pay equal attention to
form and spirit that the two were linked together
by bonds analogous to those which unite body and
soul IN his version consequently the Englsh-
speaking reader who has no German Is brought
nearer to a full understanding of Goethes meaning
than can be obtained from any other rendering
Haywards. being in prose. Is so to speak di'em-
bodied spirit BroOkss is IN verse, and for the
most part in Gocthes metres, but 1t Is too free a
hut rot lar
n parapbrase than a Translation, liberties
which Bayard Taylor would have considered
unwarrantabie having been taken with the
original. Whoever cannot read ." Faust IN
the German should therefore prefer the American
scholar Translation II NAV be added hat Of all
the English tranSators ravlor has laid the broad
est foundation for his work. He made cult oil
Goethe. lie sought explanation of obscnrIies III
the Faust by studYin the life and mind OF Its
author; aud this was necessary. lnasnuch rs there
is no literary production which IS so essentially
life work as this Begun IN vouth. ii was finished
in old age and as it took shape slowly and with
long intervals, the deepest experiences and con-
victions of the writer weIe woven into H.
J II follows that an inquiry as 10 GOcth''s con-
ception of his characters involves some acQuaint-
ance. not only with the tragedy OF Faust and
the MEDIEVAL legend which is the matrx If its ey-
ence of Goethe. through which much lIght Is
thrown upon ali his productions. NJ. Coquclin
complains that Henry Irviug's NephiStophees Is
TOO handsome holds that the fend shou d he made
hidcous on the STAGE even hints at hump back;
and refers to Goethe as countenancing tins inter-
ptetalOn. Ii is the purpose of this inquiry 10 show
that NJ Coquenn is quite wrong. ana this Will bc
demonstrated by citations from Goethe himself,
ard by deductions from his occ1siCnal re ierences
TO the general subject In the first place it's to be
determined what Goethe meant to do; in the second
place. what he actually dill with his conception.
Undoubtedly he went to the Old legend for ma
chiuery. bnt that nearly all he borrowed. The
general deslgn-namey, morta : compact with
fend--the name OF that Gend. the manner of his
appearance, are not greatly altered from tIiclecend
But the character Of the fend the aspect ne wears
and nearly all the details both OF the first aud
Ond parts. Goethe's own TINS VI. C0Gaehn
does not appear to understand. lie asks: q" Is It my
fault If the Ml1hle Ages. which created the charac
ter. made him deformcd, obeylng therein an old
human tend ncv of which there still fcma some
thing, whatever Mr.. Irving NAV say to the con-
traryg Is it my fault If Goethe colfornel with
the icgeodl For IN plain words McphistO- cOven
loot is mentioned twenty times In Faust, and
bis walk must evidently be affected by
this Iecnliarity. Does not Marguerite conceive
no ror of him account of his
ugliness." And he goes on to say that he did not
find it contrary to the spirit of the role when he
saw Levnskv represens Meph-topheles with a
slight hump on his back" All tins shows careless
study of BON "Fausl and Goethe. IL is not true
that the poet has ''confJrmsd with til; leg nd
Ii is not true that the clOyen foo is mentioned
"twertv times in + lu,t.'" 1t Is not tru, that
Margaret conceives horror Of Mephsto ION ac-
count of bis ughness."
What Goethe really mean; is however. easily de-
termned IN this case for the Indications are
specific and plentiful On the second appear nee
Of MephistOpheles. in Faust's study. he presents
hmselfrchlv ADD glyy clad AMI az he him,elf
says. ais edler janker TRANSLATED By Taylor "
squire OF high degree >. He IL dressed
very much as Mr.. lrvIng appear, in fact.
and there Is hint or indication III the
play that he appears Other than prosperous.
well-lookng knight of the period Bot that he did
not show the coven hoofl concluslveiy proved by
the scene in the wltchs kitchen. when he is
attacked by the witch. who fails TO recognize him.
When Mephistopheles makes himself known TO
her she apoloqizcs TINS:
80 Herr weren't den rohen Gruss!
Sch ich doch kenen Pierdcfuss;
Wo sind DEM cure beIJen Rab5nf"
As Tavor ronders it:
go pardon, Sir, the rough salute!
Yet perceive no clOven foot:
And both your ravens where are they nowf"
Mephistopheles in his answer shows stlll more
plainly the extent Of the external change that mas
passed upon hin. lie says
Couture. which smooth the whole world ticks.
Also unto the Devil sticks
The days of that old Northern phantom now are
over;
Where canst thou horns and tail and claws dis
covert
And, as regards the foot. which | can't spare, in
truth.
'Twould only make the people shun me;
Therefore, I've worn, like many splndly youth
False calves these ma y years upon me"
Surely tins makes II clear enough that MephistO
.n1c I,n-r Lo oil honC 1yn La